Each type of animation has its own supporters who willingly find the advantages of their favorite and the disadvantages of the opposite side. And then, when the entire Internet is full of arguments in favor of the victory of this or that type of animation.
When separation occurs.
When a contradiction is born. When two camps collide.
It’s a question of honour for us to kindle the peace pipe and say that there is no battle, which would immediately refute our own title.
What is happening and what is one to make of this? Move on and you will understand everything.
2D Animation or 3D Animation: No Confrontation or Destination Peaceful Coexistence
Competition or confrontation always adds piquancy and drive to any even the calmest comparative analysis, which was not initially aimed at identifying an imaginary winner. But the drive is felt only for the time being, or rather until the moment when the reader does not realize how subjective the reasoning of the author of the article is and how obvious his or her adherence to a particular side is, despite attempts to disguise everything as objectivity.
What we are definitely not going to do is butt heads of 2D and 3D animation adherents. We’ll just talk about these two fundamental types of animation in a soft narrative form and explain why both the flat (almost like Terry Pratchett’s Discworld) and volumetric worlds have equal rights to exist.
Which is Better, 2D or 3D Animation?
None is better or worse.
Each of these types of animation is self-sufficient and has its own niche in modern film, advertising and video game production. Comparing 2D and 3D animation is initially a large-scale and challenging task, since they differ in almost all aspects.
2D animation
2D animation is an art style based on creating movement of objects and characters in two-dimensional space, focusing only on length and width. This movement is depicted using drawings, mainly pencil sketches, showing the change in the position of the object. They are arranged in sequence to create the illusion of fluid movement.
3D animation
3D animation is an art style that deals with the creation of 3D models and their movement in the digital environment using special computer software. 3D was originally aimed only at computer processing, it never existed in the form of pencil sketches, as in the case of 2D. 3D animation requires much more attention to modeling, rigging, anatomical nuances and rendering.
Many experts and fans of the animation sphere say that the era of 2D has already passed, and soon it will be ousted from the market. Adding depth to the standard height and width is considered sufficient to substantiate such a statement. But this does not stand the test of facts: the appearance of 3D did not in any way affect the viability of 2D, from which we can conclude that this is not at all a matter of the number of dimensions.
The simplest and most visual option will be to show the differences between 2D and 3D animations in the form of a comparison table. And here it is:
| Comparison parameter | 2D animation | 3D animation |
| Time of appearance | the late 1800s | the late 1900s |
| Dimensions | length and width | length, width and depth |
| Realism level | low | high |
| Method of creation | hand-drawn (early stages) | computer-based |
| Space for creativity | boundless | limited by software capabilities |
| Learning time | rather quick | rather slow |
| Production time | rather short | rather long |
| Main focus | gameplay and story | design |
| Cost | lower compared to 3D | higher compared to 2D |
| Reusability | every project requires new drawings | the model can be used in different projects |
| Rotation capability | a separate drawing required for each viewing angle | 360 degrees |
| Application area | films, cartoons, websites, learning courses, advertising, product video, video games | films, cartoons, video games, medicine, biotechnology, aerospace |
12 fundamental principles of animation:
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Squash and Stretch
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Anticipation
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Staging
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Straight Ahead and Pose to Pose
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Follow Through and Overlapping Action
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Slow-In and Slow-Out
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Arc
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Secondary Action
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Timing
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Exaggeration
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Solid Drawings
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Appeal
2D Animation or 3D Animation: Which is Easier?
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3D animation is easier It is enough to master some software and you can already start animating 3D objects.
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2D animation is easier It is enough to understand the frame by frame principle and be able to draw on a piece of paper.
2D vs 3D Animation Cost: Major Pricing Factors
We’ve already discussed enough pros and cons of 2D and 3D animation and determined that none of them can be considered simpler or more complex. Then what about cost?
There is an opinion that 2D animation is cheaper to produce and more affordable than 3D. In general, this is true, but it must be understood that we are considering the issue of price from the point of view of a generalized abstract comparison. In fact, any kind of animation is complex and, accordingly, expensive work that requires a customized approach to each project and a lot of time and resources. So what are the factors that affect the cost of an animation?
Resource Intensity
The main pricing factor is the use of expensive and resource-heavy software. This is exactly the case for 3D animation: it requires special programs and a lengthy rendering procedure. The software for 2D animation is less resource-intensive and the compilation procedure itself is much faster. This, however, does not devalue the work, especially if each frame was manually drawn. The more manual labor involved in creating 2D animation, the more expensive it will be.
Animation Complexity
It takes into account the number of objects needed and the general appearance of the background. Every detail needs time and attention to create: the more details, the more resources are spent on making the animation and, accordingly, the higher the price. The level of realism, complex changing background, special effects – all this directly affects the cost and determines the final appearance of the animation.
Animation Length
The longer the animation, the higher its cost. But even here everything is not so simple. For example, for the same budget, a studio can create a more detailed short animation or a longer one with less detail. Therefore, length is considered in conjunction with style, detail and complexity and cannot affect cost in isolation from other factors.
Character Presence
The presence of a character in 2D or 3D animation also affects the cost. This greatly complicates the process and makes it more time-intensive: it is necessary to develop and illustrate characters from scratch, think over their image and characteristics, model and rig them for movement in the case of 3D animation. Characters are the most difficult aspect of animation, as each part of their bodies must act independently, but at the same time, when moving, they must portray a harmonious and balanced picture.
Required Deadline
On average, the time to create a minute 2D or 3D animation ranges from two weeks. If the customer is satisfied with this term, then the price will be adjusted taking into account the above factors. If the project is needed earlier, the cost of the product will rise. This is due to the involvement of more specialists, the need to work overtime and an increased load on equipment.
It is difficult to talk about a specific price, since everything depends on the project – we will not be original in saying that. On average, we can talk about a price of about $5,000 per minute of 2D animation and $10,000 for the same duration of 3D animation.
| Price options | 2D animation | 3D animation |
| 60 seconds | $5,000 | $10,000 |
The Last Frame
Congratulations, you now know much more about animation than you did before reading this article. Now you will definitely not say that 2D animation is dead or that 3D animation is more complicated. And if you plan to go even further and contribute to the world of animation by creating your own project, we are ready to become a creative performer of your aspirations: tell us what you want to achieve and together we will be able to find the best way to your goal.
